The bodybriefer has long been a staple in the wardrobes of shapewear consumers. But this silhouette isn’t for every woman. Bodybriefers are designed for women of average height and those who have balanced bust-to-waist-to-hip ratios. Though fabricstretch and some built-in adjustments can accommodate a majority of shapes within a single size, many women fall outside of these “average” and “balanced” foundation parameters and need alternatives to all-in-ones. The combined use of separate shapewear pieces – made for the upper and lower halves of the body – is just such an excellent Plan B. Separates provide fit flexibility and allow for the creation of a suit of underwear that best fits the body. They also make using the restroom, when wearing shapewear, an easier experience.

So how do you know when you should choose separate shapers over a bodybriefer? Here are three instances it makes wonderful sense:

Most bodybriefers are designed with hook-and-eye closures that allow for adjustments to lengthen or shorten their rise. Such adjustments do accommodate the majority of torso lengths. However, if you have an extremely long torso, even the last set of hooks and eyes won’t sufficiently lengthen the garment. You can tell that a garment isn’t long enough if either the underwire cups don’t fit comfortably underneath your breasts, or the front-leg area is pulled up so high that a fabric vacancy exists where the brief portion should cover you. If you have an extremely short torso, on the other hand, you can tell that your bodybriefer is too long if you see wrinkles of excess fabric form throughout the body of the shaper.

Instead of fussing with a bodybriefer, you can try wearing a body-shaping camisole paired with a waistline brief. Tucking the cami into the shaping pant helps provide a customized garment length and tailored appearance. If a substitute for a thigh-sliming bodybriefer is needed, the camisole can be paired with a waistline thigh slimmer instead. Again, tucking the camisole into the thigh slimmer will deliver a more customized, tailored fit than that provided by a traditional bodybriefer.

2. When Bodybriefer Cups Are Too Big or Too Little

Bodybriefers are sized like bras. So, if the size of your lower half is disproportionate to that of your upper half, you might have to settle for an ill-fitting top to obtain a reasonably well-fitting bottom. The solution, again, is wearing separates. Pairing a cami (sized like a bodybriefer) with a shaping brief, that’s sized to properly fit your waist and hips, can work quite well. Alternatively, you can purchase a torsette and continue to wear your own bra. Torsettes come in styles that stop at the hips like camis. Again, tucking the cami or torsette into the chosen waistline shaper will mimic a great, tailored garment.

3. When You Have Difficulty, or Dislike, Fiddling with the Gusset of a Bodybriefer

As stated above, traditional bodybriefers, or bodybriefer torsettes have hook-and-eye closures which, depending on flexibility, balance, dexterity, and strength, may be difficult to align and fasten. Thigh-slimming bodybriefers and thigh-slimming torsettes have “open” gussets. Open gussets aren’t really open; two layers of fabric and cotton lining overlap each other to form a temporary closure over the crotch that can be manipulated for restroom use. Some women just don’t like open gusset garments because they’re concerned with … well … accuracy. Choosing separates is an easy way to avoid the difficulties associated with operating hook-and-eye closures and open gussets, and simplify things when nature calls.

If you haven’t yet found an all-in-one that you like, don’t stop yourself from wearing shapewear entirely. Try customizing your undies ensemble by purchasing separates. Not only will you get a great, full-body silhouette, you’ll acquire the fashion freedom to wear your pieces separately when you only want to don a cami, torsette, brief, or thigh slimmer by itself.

If you wore a shapewear-separates ensemble, would you tuck the upper garment into the lower one?

Leave a Reply

Featured Posts

By Tony Angelino Cupid® Are the days of sewing lingerie with needle and thread numbered? Times are changing, and the apparel industry in the United States, where sewing operators used to number more than 700,000, has become a small fraction of its former size. The up-and-coming centers of clothing production are now located in Asia, […]

By Adam Welsch Naomi & NicoleÂ® Today is International Women’s Day.Â First celebrated in a few European countries on March 19, 1911, the date was changed to March 8th in 1913 and today is observed in more than seventy countries around the world.Â Originally, its purpose was to generate support for the fight by women […]

By Adam Welsch Miraclesuit® Shapewear Today marks the 88th anniversary of the publication of the inaugural edition of TIME® Magazine, America’s first weekly news magazine. As a fixture of newsstands, libraries, waiting rooms, and coffee tables across the country, TIME® has played a central role in the coverage of political, economic, foreign-affairs, and scientific news. […]

By Marcy Montgomery Jones Naomi & Nicole® Sunday night was full of glamour and grace at the 2011 Academy Awards®. Whether you watched the Oscars® for the awards, the speeches, or the red-carpet display, you couldn’t ignore the beautiful gowns. Since the fashion seen Sunday will trickle down into our wardrobes in the coming months, […]

By Adam Welsch Naomi & Nicole® When you think about shapewear, which silhouette do you envision? Do you see a torsette, a bodybriefer, a pantliner, or a waist cincher? Chances are that you picture something more basic; chances are you see a brief. Briefs may not be exciting, but they address certain needs well. Think […]